creative soloing ideas
- analyzing music & stealing concepts
- discover other genres & adapt them into your style
- mix styles
- identify techniques from other instruments
- play phrases backwards
- limit yourself to a few strings or frets
- change the limitation every 2 bars
- change the instrument; add effects, take them away, etc.
- alternate tunings
- music theory concepts
- compose variations
- imagine melodies before you play
- deciding which elements you want to use (notes or rests, expressive elements, scales or arpeggios, type of vibrato, overall emotional impact intended, where climaxes would go, use of rubato, ascending or desceding lines, articulation choices etc.)
- use of motifs
- use of syncopation
- delayed resolution
- appogiaturra
- repetition & variation
- exotic scales
- mimic vocal
- percussive elements
- artificial & natural harmonics
- ornament the very last note
- duration of notes
- sustain / feedback
- mimic melody
- tapping
- volume swells with volume knob or pedal
- very small number of notes
- pedal point licks on single string or on mutliple strings
- variety of techniques: alternate, hybrid, sweep, economy picking
- exotic bends
- changing effects or tone midway
- gradually increase dynamics and/or intensity
- use of chromatics
- sing each phrase before playing it
- plan 1 target chord tone and explore ways to get there
- play each phrase using only 1 expressive element (slides, bends, etc.)
- patterns over each chord (ex: 137 over Cmaj7 = c,e,b, then if next chord is G7 you’d play g,b,f, etc.)
- play outside the harmony
- resolve to same note over multiple chords
- solo over a different diatonic chord to the one you’re on (ex: solo as if chord was G7 while actual chord being played is Cmaj7)
- play in different meter (ex: phrase in 7/8 while playing in 6/8)
- use varying rhythmic density
